Red Artemisio
by opusqe
Summary: Samantha Oak has lived her entire life in Kanto. Now she has been given the chance to explore the world, and on that journey she finally leaves her father's side and meets an old friend. *Childhoodfirebugshipping*
1. Chapter 1: News

"Piggy, come back here!"

I jumped forward, trying to catch my Tepig. She got away; I hit the ground and got a mouth full of dirt and grass. I put my weight on my hands, pressing against the dirt. A pair of arms wrapped around me, helping me to my feet. I looked up at who had helped me, and found Professor Oak smiling down at me.

"Why are you trying to catch her?"

"She needs a bath, that's why." I smiled. "You're acting as if it's a sin to chase your Pokémon."

"Let her run around a bit, Sammie. She's still a Tepig, and nowhere near as obedient as a Pignite or an Emboar. Because you've kept her a Tepig, she's going to continue acting this way."

I kissed his cheek. "I know that, Daddy. I still like chasing her."

"Don't chase her _too_ much, either. We don't want your asthma acting up, do we?"

I nodded, finally scooping Piggy into my arms. "She's too cute for words. Do I really have to make her evolve?"

"Sooner or later, you'll have to let her evolve. She's eight years old and you'll be visiting other regions with very powerful Gym Leaders and Trainers." He opened the door to the house and went inside.

"Other regions?" I asked, raising my eyebrow and following him into the house.

"Delia Ketchum will be watching our Pokémon and house while we're gone." He sat at the table, opening his Pokédex.

I let Piggy go on the floor, and she ran over to play with my father's Vulpix and my mother's Chansey. "Daddy, what are you saying? I'm not leaving you here alone."

He laughed. "I'm not staying, Sammie. Sit down." I sat down. "You and I are going on vacation!"

I stared at him. For as long as I could remember, I had always been rudely turned down whenever I brought up a vacation. My mother had died following my third birthday, and I had never had the pleasure to meet her. My older sisters had left by my tenth birthday; the only exception was my sister Emilia, who took care of me for three years while my father was visiting other regions. When he returned, he gave me a Tepig from Unova to symbolize that he was ready for me to become a trainer.

I had defeated every Gym Leader, Elite Four member and Trainer in Kanto and Johto with my Tepig.

"I have some business to do in Sinnoh, so while I'm there, you'll be going to Unova."

I was still surprised. "But, Daddy, I can't just leave you alone. I mean, you can't cook—"

He laughed, putting his hand on mine. "I'll be staying with Professor Rowan, sweetheart."

I raised my eyebrow for a second time. "Who will _I _be staying with, then?"

He winked, standing up. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

I leaned back in my chair, and Piggy ran over to me. I picked her up, and watched my father come back with a large photo album. He came around, standing behind me and placing the book on the table in front of me. He opened it to the last few pages, and I saw several pictures of my sisters, my mother, my father, other Pokémon professors, and old friends of the family. He stopped on the very last page.

The little boy from my childhood stood there. He was holding a Sewdaddle; I wasn't holding a Pokémon. His name came into my mind.

"I'll be staying with Burgh Artemisio?" I asked.

"I thought you would enjoy seeing him again after all these years. I had forgotten about him; luckily Professor Juniper recommended when I had called her." He smiled. "You and Burgh were closer than a Doduo's two heads."

I laughed at the comparison. "Daddy, I'm not sure if me and Burgh will be friendly towards each other." I glanced up at him. "He was a trainer at the time, wasn't he? I'm a trainer now. We'll be battling the entire time I'm with him."

He gave me a smile that always made me feel good about myself. "That's a plus for you and your Pokémon."


	2. Chapter 2: Arrival

I stared up at the skyscrapers, barely able to comprehend the city's size. The sky was dark, but the stars were brighter than ever. The feeling of fright sank it at last, and I grabbed my father's hand. He laughed, leading me down the street.

"This way, Sammie," he said, raising his voice for me to hear him over the crowd.

I looked at the two large suitcases in my father's hands, thankful he was willing to take my bags so I could hold Piggy. I noticed a Gym, and we stopped in front of it.

"I'll bring your stuff to his apartment," he said. "Go on in and have yourself a battle with the Leader."

I nodded, entering the building as my father walked to the building across the street. Trees were growing in gardens around the battlefield, and I looked around in wonder. I backed up, unknowingly stepping on someone's foot.

"Oh, sorry!"

I turned around quickly. Standing in front of me was a tall, skinny man with long brown hair and bright green eyes. He wore a lime green V-neck with a pink scarf and pink-and-black-striped pants. I looked up at his face.

"Are you here for a battle?" he asked in a smooth voice that made my heart spin.

"Uh, yeah. For the time being, I suppose," I answered. I held up Piggy. "This is my, um, one and only Pokémon."

He laughed. "You plan to defeat me with _one_ Pokémon? A big mistake on your behalf, young lady, but I am not one to turn down a battle!" He turned around and ran to the other end of the battlefield. He withdrew a Pokéball and threw it into the air. "Leavanny, I choose you!"

A Leavanny appeared before the both of us, and I stared at it, dumbfounded. I glanced up at the Gym Leader, and looked back at the Leavanny. I recognized it.

"_Samantha, this is my Sewdaddle!"_

I looked back up at the Gym Leader. "_Burgh?_"

He raised his eyebrow and I noticed a puzzled look on his face. "Samantha Oak? Is it really you?"

I put Piggy on the ground and ran over to him, throwing myself in his arms.

"It's been forever!" I cried.

"Hell yeah!" He lifted me off my feet. "I should've recognized you, Samantha. How stupid of me. You look exactly like your father, it's uncanny."

"Good evening, Burgh," my father called from behind me.

Burgh looked over my shoulder, finally putting me back on my feet. "Speak of the devil, here he comes now! Professor Oak, how are you?"

Piggy ran over to my father, who picked her up. "I'm good, Burgh, I'm good. My, have you grown!"


	3. Chapter 3: New Home

"And this will be your room, Sammie. I'm sorry about the size, but it's all I've got. You're welcome to have my room, if you want."

I looked up at Burgh. "No, this room is fine. I'd feel wrong taking your room, anyways." I sat down on the bed. "Thanks again for letting me stay."

He sat next to me. "No problem, Sammie. It's a big change for me; I've never had a girl live with me before. I mean…" He stood up and walked over to the door, rubbing his neck.

He was nervous. I wanted to make him feel comfortable, and not quite as anxious as he seemed; but I knew, somehow, that if I even stood to soothe him he would dash out. He was by far the cutest guy I had ever seen, and I wondered if he was in the market for a relationship.

_I'm not going to force a relationship on him_, I thought. _He's a sweet guy. I'll hint to him over the next few days that I like him._

"I can't offer you much food, either. I can't cook—"

"There's no need for you to cook." I stood up and walked past him, out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. "As long as I'm here, I'll cook for you."

He raised his eyebrows. "What?" He ran over to me, stepping in front of me. "Sammie, you're my guest; you really shouldn't be cooking for _me_."

"Well," I said, thinking it over, "let's say I'm making myself something to eat and you get the extra food I make."

He smiled. "Well, tonight you won't be making diddly-squat. It's your first day in Castelia; I'm treating you to dinner."

I looked up at him, letting my eyes meet his. I smiled weakly at him. "Don't spend too much money on me, Burgh."

His eyes twinkled. "You're an old friend. I'd spend a million on you."

_Is he flirting with me? _I thought. I realized how stupid I sounded to myself. _Of course he's flirting. Nobody in their right mind would spend a million Pok__é__ on someone who's just a friend._

That's when I decided that was my first date with Burgh. It wasn't necessarily official, but I considered it a date nonetheless.


	4. Chapter 4: First Date, First Fight

"Signor Artemisio! Shall it be the usual table for you?"

Burgh smiled. "Not today, Palio. I'd like a table for two in the garden, please."

_Does he know everyone? _I asked myself. On the way to the restaurant he had greeted everyone by name. I felt out of place; I was a new face, and I awkwardly stood by his side. I was beginning to feel a bit frightened at the city's size; I was afraid of the size of its population, thinking that if I didn't hold on to him I would end up lost. I slipped my arm around his, clinging to his side.

"Who is the bella donna, Signor?" Palio whispered to Burgh.

"This is my date for the night, Samantha Oak. She and I spent the summers together in our youth." Burgh looked down at me, smiling. "She's a very good friend."

I smiled at Palio. "It's a pleasure to meet you," I said.

He led Burgh and me up to the rooftop, where I saw beautiful flower bushes covered with white Christmas lights. Bright pink and purple flowers were blooming. There was a single table for two in the center of the little garden.

_First date for sure. This is probably his way of telling me he likes me._

He pulled a chair out for me, and I sat down. He sat across from me and turned to Palio.

"Palio, il mio amico, ti preghiamo di ottenere il miglior vino per la mia data e me stesso. Questa è la sua prima note in città e voglio che sentire i benvenuti." He smiled. "Grazie, Palio, grazie. E fare in modo che ricevo l'assegno come usciamo dalla porto, perché si vuole fare in modo ho spreso poco su di lei — ma ho intienzione di spendere più di un po su di lei. La amo."

I stared at him in disbelief as Palio walked away. "You speak Italian?" I asked quietly.

He leaned forward on his elbows. "When you are good friends with an Italian man, it is assumed that you should learn the language as well." He laughed. "How have you been, Sammie?"

I looked down at the empty plate in front of me. "I've been okay. I mean, a lot has happened since I last saw you." I placed my hand on the table, closing my eyes. "I feel so different than I did back then. And my father…He worries me."

He placed his hand on mine. "Your dad's an independent man, Sammie. He's not here now; it's just you and me for the next few weeks."

I looked up at him. "Well, I've always lived with my dad. It feels so weird to be away from him."

Palio returned with a bottle of wine, and he poured some into my glass. I glanced at him, then looked at Burgh. I shook my head, smiling.

"Listen, you're an independent girl, Sammie. I know that you're aware of that. You've been so worried about your dad that you haven't had enough time to think about what you want for yourself." He started to caress my knuckles.

"That's not true!" I objected quickly.

"Oh? Then tell me, what do you want to do for a living?"

I looked back down at my lap. "I want to be a Pokémon Professor, like my dad…"

"You've spent too much time with him. I know you love him, Sammie, but you're going to regret spending so much time with him. He's a good man, but he's contagious."

I pulled my hand back, feeling the tears forming in my eyes. "You talk about him like he's some kind of disease," I retorted, hurt.

"Sammie, you want to be your dad. You have to be your own person!"

I stood abruptly, turning away. "Burgh…Stop talking about my dad that way. I love him more than anyone in the world."

"You're not sure about yourself because you've grown in your father's shadow!" He looked up at me. "You have no idea who you are."

I turned away. "I do…"

"I don't mean to hurt your feelings, Sammie—"

I ran back inside and down the stairs, unable to bear the hurtful things he was saying. The only reason why I ran and cried was because I realized he was right. I remembered the way back to his apartment, and I ran to the door as soon as I could. I couldn't open the door, but I noticed a key sticking out from under the welcome mat. I picked it up and ran inside, falling to my knees inside the bathroom.

I didn't hear him come in.

He sat in front of me, pulling my hands away from my face and holding them in his. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to hide my face from his gaze. He lifted me onto his lap, leaning against the wall, and I hid my face in his scarf. His head rested on mine.

His nose nudged mine, and I looked up at him. He closed his eyes and kissed away the tears that fell down my cheeks. I grabbed the neck of his shirt and pulled it tight in my grasp. He pressed his nose against mine, and I closed my eyes again.


	5. Chapter 5: Feelings Revealed

He kissed me.

It was amazing. In short, we were sharing a kiss that you often saw in movies: His lips were around the top of mine, while my lips were around his bottom lip. I clutched his shirt tighter, letting him slip one arm around my shoulders while the other slipped around my waist. I felt myself relax, and I forgot everything he had said to me.

"Sammie," he said suddenly, breaking our kiss.

I looked him in the eye.

"Lovebird, I'm sorry," he continued. "It was wrong of me to say all that. You're seriously the best thing to happen to me since I got my Pokémon. Hell, you're even better than when I got my Sewaddle." He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against mine. "You must think I'm the biggest jerk in the world."

I closed my eyes, breathing with him. I took in his scent — the familiar scent of grass. I let my hands fall down, resting them on his leg. I pushed my jaw forward, and he accepted another kiss.

He was the first person to kiss me like that. He was the first person to love me like that. (Now that I look back on that moment, I wish it had been in a place a little less awkward than the bathroom of his apartment.)

"Mhm…" The moan escaped from my mouth before I could stop it, and his lips curled into a smile. He pushed me aside, standing up. His nimble hands grabbed mine, and he pulled me to my feet. He led me out of his apartment and up the stairs.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked.

He let go of my hands, turned around and grabbed them again, walking up the stairs backwards. Not only was there a large smile on his lips, but his eyes were smiling also.

_He looks like an idiot_, I thought, laughing aloud.

"The roof," he said. "Come on, follow me!"

He let go of my hands and sprinted all the way up the stairs, disappearing down a hallway. I followed him, going down the hallway. I lost sight of him, and so I just assumed he had run all the way down to the last door. I walked cautiously through the dark, wondering why there was no light and why he decided to take me to the roof.

"Gotcha!"

I screamed as he jumped out from a doorway and wrapped his arms around my waist, and I instinctively tried to escape. He let go, running ahead of me. He stopped abruptly, and I collided into him. I was laughing like I had taken drugs; he was too. But he stopped after a moment.

"Close your eyes," he said coolly.

I raised my eyebrow, but I obeyed his command and closed my eyes. I felt a light breeze and I couldn't help but smile; it was obvious he was making sure I couldn't see. There was a loud clang and he pulled me forward.

The breeze was cool. Everything around me had the most wonderful fragrance. I squeezed his hands, letting him pull me closer.

"Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes and could not believe what I saw before me. I beamed. There were gorgeous bushes with brightly colored flowers and Christmas lights. Bug and sky Pokémon were all over the roof. I noticed a trellis leading to a dark part of the roof.

_I'll go there if he asks. If he doesn't, I want to wait until this relationship has been going on for a few days._

"I paid the super twice as much so I could make this. It was originally for my Pokémon, but I cleaned it up a little more when I found out you'd be coming. Before this, it was just a few bushes that hadn't bloomed."

I looked at him, my smile fading. "You did this for me?" I asked quietly.

"Of course." He smiled weakly. "I wanted everything perfect for my childhood crush."


End file.
